Fatigue of SFRC in compression: Size effect & autogenous self-healing

Abstract

This review synthesizes prior research on size effect and autogenous self-healing in steel fiber-reinforced concrete (SFRC) under compressive fatigue. It explores the fatigue behavior of SFRC, focusing on fiber reinforcement’s role in post-cracking toughness, crack propagation, and fatigue endurance. The review demonstrates that larger SFRC specimens have reduced fatigue lives, attributed to increased elastic energy driving microcrack growth, aligning with classical size effect theory. Additionally, it highlights autogenous self-healing, where fatigue-induced microcracks release occluded water, promoting rehydration and calcium carbonate precipitation, which enhances residual strength. The interaction between size effect, fiber content, and self-healing is examined, offering insights into improving SFRC’s durability under cyclic loading. These findings have practical implications for designing SFRC structures subjected to compressive fatigue, such as wind turbine towers and railway slabs.